Am I late with this New Moon report? You bet I am. Too much to do, not enough sit and look at the Moon time. The New Moon perfects at 4:30 AM PDT of the 30th at 9 Gemini 03, and makes no major aspects with a tight orb, the closest being a square to Juno in Pisces and, perhaps most telling, a semi-square to Eris in Aries. What does that tell us? That what starts with this Gemini New Moon may be more talk than action–but that doesn’t mean it won’t affect us.
The Lunar event might seed the inconvenient energy of conflict over empowerment, especially over pursuit of a dream or creative effort–and whether because of empowerment disagreements or simply from all that irritating talk, anybody whose inner dialogue is out of harmony with their environment and/ or the line of patter they’re trying to sell others will find themselves or those around them lashing out. There may be lots of spontaneous finger pointing; remember that old saying about when you point at someone, there are four fingers pointing back at you? That’s this energy: being reactionary to ideas, assertions, plans, talk, suggests conflict between your own inner reality and the persona or thinking you’re trying to make others believe or accept. This isn’t an indictment; if you find yourself suddenly clashing with externals, it’s not that you set out to deceive anyone–it’s a signal to you that what you think you are and what you really are/ think/ or are doing is out of alignment–and we sabotage ourselves when the inner and outer don’t match.
With ruler Mercury still retro, our best course of action may be no action; instead, careful thought, a study of the actual power situation, and a revision of plans will all benefit us on direction. We’re approaching the liminal point, the time when Merc is slowing, poised to resume apparent direct motion soon, and this period always brings its own kind of stress, the kind that can push us to move forward when we’d do better to wait just a little longer.
The New Moon Sabian is, ‘An Airplane Performing A Nose Dive’. The thing with a nosedive is that pilots practice those so that if the plane suddenly does dive, they’ll be adept at pulling it out of the plunge. Are we practicing how not to crash and burn, how to pull ourselves out of Self-destructive attitudes, thinking, or behaviors, with what this New Moon presents? I think the answer might be yes.
Thank you for your patience–it’s been tough to keep up lately. I’m getting some practice keeping a handle on things–just like the New Moon says I should. Have a wonderful New Moon in Gemini!
Though not exactly on point for the topic, I thought the rendering of this painting made it worth sharing. We can imagine Jupiter descending from the cloud, commanding Venus out of the way, and demanding Mars buddy-up with him–with an array of possible results. And who knows what Vulcan is doing in there. ‘Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan’ By Alexandre Charles Guillemot 1827 {{PD}}
The meeting of Mars and Jupiter perfects in the wee hours of the 29th AM PDT. Do we need to be so precise? Yes and no; this meeting isn’t that rare, occurring every couple of years+, give or take, depending on retro sequences, and these are major energies–it’s not like they slip from awareness day-to-day. On the other hand, the melding of energies related to ego, action, aggression, and Self-focus (in both positive and negative senses), and those related to the social order, knowledge, and the exaggeration of all that’s touched promise lively times–and this happening in Mars’ sign of Aries only adds, get ready for it, fuel to the fire.
So, what can we expect? A lot of that depends on 1) what House in the natal chart this combo falls in–that offers a prime stage for Mars-Jupiter assertion, 2) what Houses these two rule in the natal chart–look for combined elements to figure in, most likely presented through the House where the meeting occurs, and 3) how well we as individuals get along with our own Martian impulses and Jupiterian urges. It’s also worth noting if your natal Mars or Jupiter are receiving any transits–and if they’re hard (semi-square, square, quincunx, opposition) then you need to take into account that this energy is already under stress. That’s a lot to synthesize–which is exactly why astrology isn’t one-size-fits-all.
A few hints I can offer: if this conjunction falls above the horizon in your natal chart (in the 7th through 12th Houses, and for Whole Sign from Descendant to Ascendant, counter clock-wise) then you’re probably going to perceive these energies coming at you from the outside, from the social sphere, from religious or higher education sources, from individuals in your life who consider themselves leaders, from having to face ‘the facts’, from aggressors looking for an excuse to impose their Will, the effects trickling down for the most part from larger entities or groups to the individual–and perhaps pitting the individual against the larger group or organization.
If the combo falls below the horizon/ Ascendant to Descendant, you’re likely to be in the middle of it–generating assertive efforts (especially to gain knowledge or just to gain, to get more), possibly in response to vulnerabilities that, at the moment, are perceived out-of-proportion to their likely impact. Or you find yourself face-to-face with information or a social environment that requires you to assert yourself. Or you aggressively go after opportunity–or create opportunity, with your efforts. Or, it seems vital to sort out ideas around your own role, leadership/ leadership potential, enactment of your Will, or your Self-image. Will you have to go to war? You might not have to, but you might want to–the thing is, being aware of the distorted, objects-are-closer-than-they-appear nature of what’s going on right now may help you avoid unnecessary battles and overreaction.
If Mars-Jupiter hits a natal point or placement by hard aspect, expect a challenge to or a need to act on those natal energies, and if the contact is soft, see it as an opportunity to take action that is more likely than not to be successful. I’d say this aspect has been in range for a day or two, and will move quickly, waning by June 3rd–and that means that, though it may influence the susceptible for about a week and a half, it’s likely to precipitate one-off events, rather than initiate a long arc–so awareness and a minimum of Self-control mitigates any fly-off-the-handle influence during this rather brief period of vulnerability.
Though I appreciate your interest in what I might say, I have to ask that you refrain from asking about your personal placements in the comments or by writing to me directly. I love your comments and I hate to disappoint, but when they put me to work, it cuts into book time. The Moon book is by far the largest astrology manuscript I’ve ever produced (I’m wearing ALL the hats!) and everything that draws me away from that just prolongs the wait.
We also have a Word Image for which I’ll offer absolutely no interpretation: you are in a fight with someone, a person you want to leave your house/ territory/ area, and heavy glass vases are the weapon of choice–and it’s frustrating, because despite good aim, none of the projectiles hit your opponent–and you are hit, but it causes no pain.
‘Moss Roses in a Vase’ By Edouard Manet 1882 {{PD}}
Considering current influences, we should just let this stressful train pass, and go about our other business. ‘The Passing of the Train’ By Darío de Regoyos y Valdés 1902 {{PD}}
That’s Ceres in Cancer (upping her ‘Mommy’ quotient) trine a 29 degree Vesta and square a 29 degree Mars in Pisces and Jupiter in Aries–with Merc retro also at 29 degrees closely conjoined Sedna, both in Taurus=that’s a lot of tension! That’s a train wreck as nerves, perceptions, instincts, values, and actions/ choices all demand supremacy within the psyche–and do we have a release valve via Ceres? Not really; she supports Vesta’s questioning of priorities and commitments, pushing those in the direction of obligation: to family, to nurturing duties, to elevating the personal authority over any other–and that may not be where our preferences really lie–but it may be very hard to argue that, as the maternal, our duties of care and oversight, and our deference to Mother Nature speak so loudly they drown out other stressed energy ‘voices’.
I feel like any cognizant Being equipped with a nervous system will be hard pressed to sort this out right now–so what do we do when something overwhelming has us in its grasp? One answer is to look to other energies–not for rescue, but for refuge. If we don’t force ourselves to respond to what’s pressing, if we focus elsewhere, then we can navigate this with our sanity intact and our spirit sheltered–and this so happens to be a time when, despite all the tension, we don’t have to move on very many things in the moment.
Two avenues stand out to me: one is the conjunction of Venus and Eris in Aries. I wouldn’t blame you for an initial recoil from these two, but hear me out: Eris offers Venus the kind of backbone, a surety of purpose, an ease with assertion, aggression, and action, that Venus doesn’t normally enjoy in Aries; usually she’s uncomfortable with being singled out, called to the front, or required to defend herself–but not now, with Eris at her back. Remember, Eris only brings out discord that’s inherent in others or the situation–if the energies she touches are in harmony with themselves, she adds confidence and a kind of bravery to Venusian efforts–perfect for a sojourn in Aries.
The second thing I’d like to point out is a sextile between Pallas and Juno. A sextile requires us to take advantage of opportunities–good things can be made from these contacts, but won’t come automatically, or will be mild if they do, unless we put our own energy behind it. In this case we see Pallas in Taurus keeping us practical, our wisdom applied to enhancing or maintaining our prosperity and our comfort, material and otherwise; now, united with Juno in Pisces, we add to this inclination to promote ours and others’ welfare, and appreciation for our personal bounty, with imaginative ways we can gain, prosper, and better control our own material position in the world. We suddenly find we own the personal authority to make things better–empowerment of the best kind, and only adding to the confidence we’ll see if we focus on Venus, right now.
These influences will linger a bit, especially if they prompt precipitous choices and actions–because repercussions won’t let us forget, in positive or not so positive ways, but today really is the day for a successful attitude re-alignment, with the mind out of the way, so to speak, and the Sun sextile Jupiter–optimism is ours, if we’ll only look for it. And if you came here from Facebook, you might want to sign up for email notices sent when I post–I won’t always put things on FB.
‘Portrait of a Child With a Bird’ By Wybrand de Geest 1610 {{PD}}
What’s happening right now, in the lee of this eclipse, an event that carried a big impact, the extent of which we may not completely uncover (or recover from) for some time (we have six months, after all, to bask, or is that flail? in its effects)? I’m drawn to the way the Sun is creeping up on Sedna, late in Taurus; I choose the word ‘creeping’ for a reason: to me that’s a picture of conscious awareness trying to bring what’s instinctive, what we know but don’t know, or what’s in our ‘blind spot’, to light–probably so it can be changed, purged, or resurrected in better form (trine to Pluto)–and we want that little bird of unconscious knowledge to eat from our hand, not startle and fly away.
What gives us a chance to gain the insight we want is the way those liminally-carried, instinctive energies will be engaged in sorting conflicts arising from what we find sacred, seek to honor, or have dedicated our energies to supporting (Sedna square Vesta, the latter in Aquarius). The material matters that at this time would normally be taking our attention, blocking below-the-surface perceptions (Taurus) will be temporarily disabled, distracted as the symbol of all we revere–Vesta–runs up against the symbol of what we should be aware of, but in some way aren’t–Sedna. This friction is likely in service to a simple but vital cause (Aquarius, as standard-bearer for the Higher Mind): giving us the necessary perspective to know what we really care about, what we truly want to commit our life energies to–with the added benefit that conscious energy has a crack at gaining genuine and needed insight into the Self and our own motivations. Maybe, too, this is where Pluto comes in: helping us eliminate what isn’t serving that higher cause, either aiding us in taking steps to put out attention on what we value, or forcibly removing distractions and dead ends, so that we turn in another, presumably more effective, direction.
One other thing I’d like to talk about right now: the Saturn-Eris sextile that catches Mars-Neptune at the midpoint. This is a highly potent formula for real world antagonisms and restrictions that enrage, that lead to actions and choices that are either highly imaginative and creative (and that’s no comment on their worth or morality!) or that are delusional in their perceptions or their understanding of the situation. What we’re moved to do may express our ideal individual Self, responsible and showing a kind of leadership (even if only to ourselves), or it may bring our worst (that is, most inaccurate) visions of who we are forward in service to the ego. Our job here is simple, and tough: know ourselves, and be so honest with ourselves, that we don’t take off in the ‘wrong’ direction.
The word image for the week: Alice in Wonderland. This is the story of an innocent who tumbles into an unfamiliar world, one that her fresh, child-perspective allows her to interact with more effectively and more directly than would one more jaded (that is, an adult, who would probably spend a lot of time arguing that what they were seeing couldn’t be!) Alice succeeds, or at least makes it through her journey, despite any momentary disbelief, by engaging with the inhabitants on their own level–and I’ll take that as our message from my repeated exposures to this story in the past 72 hours: don’t try to judge whether things make sense, or dismiss them as impossible when they’re right in front of you; instead, meet circumstances and people where they are. Don’t waste time or energy in denial, arguing that it shouldn’t be–it is, so respond accordingly.
‘Advice from a Caterpillar’ Alice in Wonderland Illustration By Arthur Rackham {{PD}}
Mercury, now stationary, goes into apparent retrograde motion at 4:48 AM PDT 10 May at 4 Gemini 51. This point gives us a kind of ‘birth snapshot’ of the retro period–and in this case, offers commentary on the atmosphere that will surround the second eclipse of the set, due late PM Pacific time of the 15th.
Turnaround occurs just after Merc was squared by the Virgo Moon and just as Merc begins to pull away from a semi-sextile to Pallas, and at the point the Moon sextiles Hygeia and the two act as base to a loose Finger of God, apex Venus=emotional conflict (or an intuitive critical take on that conflict) moves away from a Warrior stance, the kind we might’ve taken automatically in supposed defense of our rights, and toward something healthier, something that rewards via better relationships or some other sort of pay off.
Happening in Gemini, this retro period asks us to re-think, and it does so after giving us a feeling-based critique or conversation, or offering a fresh accounting or new contacts–and that means best results come if we’re willing to cast a thoughtful, critical eye on proceedings of the House(s) where Gemini sits in the natal chart–and should perhaps consider using this period for making plans or laying out the narrative we want to follow post-direction. The first thing Merc does in retro is re-initiate that semi-sextile to Pallas, suggesting that re-consideration of matters brings a wise viewpoint into perspective–what more could we want?
That query is answered by a square to Juno that doesn’t perfect before retrograde. That implies conflict over empowerment and personal authority, especially over oneself, may go unresolved, for a while longer. The Sun and Mercury meet in Inferior Conjunction at 00 Gemini, just after Merc has been sextiled by Jupiter and just before the Sun sextiles Jupiter. This may inspire a kind of ‘last word’ in beliefs that undergoes stark examination under the light of the Sun–with thoughts then two days later plunging into the experience of sensation and instinct–and it feeling as if we must understand something visceral, primal, and necessary to our survival–which is likely to make us both a little irrational and a little testy (Merc conj Sedna at 29 Taurus).
The Sabian for the turnaround point may tell us something, especially in terms of setting our expectations for progress/ change: ‘A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action’. There’s an irony in something as staid as a magazine advocating for upheaval of the status quo and thorough change–and another point: if, say, a manifesto for revolution appears in a magazine, how much action would you expect that to prompt in this day and age? We may spend the retro seeing this kind of discrepancy, noting how the words don’t match the medium that delivers them (making it hard to take them seriously, or at least hard to be inspired to extremes by them); those words for revolution may in fact be pre-approved by the powers-that-be, change that only touches surfaces and keeps those who hold power in place. It may be that we must adjust our expectations: though we may long for revolution, the time may not yet be right–we are in the planning stage (Gemini)–we still need to get in touch with our gut (Merc’s retreat into Taurus) before we’ll know what to do, what to think, how to respond.
We’re in that valley between eclipses, a time that always feels somehow . . . uneasy–or I should say, I always feel uneasy around this time–and maybe you do, too. To me there’s a ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ sensibility that permeates everything. So what do we see happening right now?
The first thing I see is the way Mars in Pisces is creeping up on Uranus in Taurus by sextile, catching Chiron in Aries at the midpoint–and the Sun is moving toward conjoining Uranus, bringing more and more light to the situation–no wonder I feel uneasy! Mars in Pisces may be experiencing something like trying to punch his way out of a paper bag–no matter how much energy is expended, if seems his (and our) efforts are ineffective. Or maybe you prefer the old ‘fog’ analogy–just as valid, though in this sign Mars is likely to imagine he knows exactly what he’s doing (and facing), even to believe he’s fighting for his ideals. Nope. The clue this bit about ideals isn’t so is found in the contact to Chiron–this fight is about something that hurts, personally.
The sextile suggests what we/ Mars is doing may precipitate something sudden, unexpected, that surprises the senses, alters the material situation, brings Higher Mind revelation, or changes the comfort level–and in the process, may injure the ego (Chiron in Aries), which as Chiron is currently ruled by Mars, says the ego may be on the same deluded, misguided, or massively personal quest as general Martian energy is right now. That action urge is trying to punch up, but ends up having the impetus boomerang back in our faces, hence the wound re-opened/ re-visited.
Ceres is square Neptune and Eris is sextile (and so semi-sextile Neptune). If that isn’t a recipe for women who seem to be aligned stirring each other up over misunderstandings or imagined wrongs, I don’t know what is. That’s not to say that this reaction is wrong, more like what we think is the issue or transgression isn’t really what’s bringing forward the strife. Too, Saturn is in the mix by trine to Ceres, only exacerbating our idea that we’re seeing reality clearly! Keep on the lookout for the true trigger behind any upset, and know that the deceptions we think we’re perceiving aren’t the ones that matter/ count. With Venus just having entered Aries, it’s just not the time to act out in relationship.
Sedna and Pluto are in an Earth trine and catching Jupiter in Pisces at the midpoint. Here the instincts and the real-world power situation are exaggerated, and thereby deceptive, not out of anyone’s malice, but again out of skewed perceptions. We may be, on the one hand, very optimistic, creative and inspired to the point of bursting, but also faced with the need to deal with the actual circumstances before us. Not exactly fun, but if you can be patient enough to connect the practical dots, you’ll end up with a pretty good plan–with first steps to be taken after the 25th of May. Yes, that will be during Merc retro–which may mean that good plan gets even better, with cautious re-visioning, with Merc ever helpful on the re-think in Gemini, and moving into Taurus by the 23rd, showing us how to materially implement what we’ve been contemplating.
Finally, Vesta creates the arm of a T-square with the Nodal axis, acting as a compass for life direction choices. All we need to do is ask ourselves, Does this honor what I truly care about? Am I respecting what I find sacred, with this choice? Answer that and you’ll know without question what to do.
‘Fiskerens stue’ (Fisherman’s cottage) By Harald Sohlberg 1907 {{PD}}
The Full Moon perfects at 11:54 AM PDT of the 16th at 26 Libra 45. The first thing that jumps out is the oppositional nature of the energies, with the Full Moon culmination in Libra zeroing in on the Us vs. Them, or Me vs. The World, or Internal vs. External dynamic. It’s a face-off, but one that involves wildly mismatched viewpoints and intentions, each seen through a highly emotional or subjective lens. On the Lunar side we have the emotional or intuitive essence of We/ Us, acting from an ambition to form a more perfect real-world union (Zeus, Moon, and Earth in Libra), and this confronts or is confronted by a fighting spirit that sees interaction/ cooperation as assault, and struggles mightily to maintain the established individual identity, both out of a belief that they are right to remain separate and a desire to blame others for the aggression–though without that aggressive nature, this side of the equation would no longer be (that is, have the core identity) that makes up the current ‘I Am’ (the Sun, Eris, and Pallas in Aries). The Solar side of things fights and opposes because that’s who they believe they are, as they conceive this to be their right, while the Lunar side of things wraps their own ambitions and desires in a cloak of ‘for the good of All’. Neither side is willing to entertain the idea that their choices are Self-serving–but that’s exactly what’s needed to open the way to actually employing this Lunar event effectively.
The way to gain perspective may be found in the other aspects the Full Moon makes. It acts as apex to a loose Finger of God with base of Sedna/ Jupiter-Neptune=here we see the instinctive nature/ blind spot material collude with an overblown imagination to create that thing we think we’re doing for everyone else–and of course, part of dictating what ‘should be’ is the belief (delusion? conceit?) that we as an individual know what’s best for others (Jupiter-Neptune as the ideal social order). On a much more positive note, we could read this as the instincts instructing us on how to pursue ‘The Big Dream’, with the Lunar event signalling an awareness of who we need to cooperate with in order to fulfill ambitions.
The Full Moon is also trine a wide conjunction of Juno-Saturn in Aquarius, and is sesquiquadrate Venus in Pisces=what happens at the Full Moon carries the potential for real-world empowerment–but we must take care not to carry illusions about the costs: to relationships, to assets, and to those things that bring Love into our lives. Our final clue is in the Full Moon-Pluto square=this Cardinal conflict is combustible, if we take our actions to extremes, or if we fail to understand the potentials of destruction that are inherent to the energies of change.
The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘An Airplane Sails, High In The Clear Sky’. The ideals have a chance to soar–but remaining reasonable, honest with ourselves about our capacity and motives, and aware of real-world consequences, is key to ‘smooth sailing’. For the Sun the Sabian is, ‘Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained’. Aha! The entire goal of this is re-capturing the inspiration that drives aspirations, especially those chances we believe we’ve missed–the window for something we once dreamed of opens again–be on the lookout.
Inspired or delusional, it’s up to us to decide. The spiritual, the unfathomable, the dream, beckons–how you approach it is all.
The conjunction of two behemoths that everyone’s waiting for perfects just after 7 AM Pacific time of the 12th. Do we have to be that specific? No, big energies push waves before them, like a vessel through water, and as well leave a big wake–that means we feel the effects both before and after they align. So, it’s likely you’re already dealing with, feeling, dodging or, even worse, trying to decipher this slippery combo. It’s my belief that examining the moment of perfection gives us a portrait (a kind of birth chart, a statement of the event) that opens our eyes to the general energies of the meeting–beyond the simple Jupiter + Neptune statement of Big Delusion, Big Creativity, Hidden Facts Revealed, Social Deception, Society’s Ideals Presented, Exaggerating or Broadcasting The Dream (or Discovering the Beliefs or Realities That Support It), The Facts Behind The Image, or The Facts Vs. What We Imagine, How What We Believe Squares With What Is Presented–I could go on, but you get my drift.
For matters where this duo’s effects might show we look to the personal chart and the House where the meeting occurs; we also look to the Houses in the natal chart these energies rule. Some or all of these areas will describe the places (the subjects through which) we as individuals will experience the conjunction. Look for two main components: something that stands out, through exaggeration, attention-grabbing, or through the ways the facts surrounding it pop forward from related circumstances, giving us a read on feasibility; and, in the way the spiritual, the ideals, the creative efforts/ ideas, and/ or places where you’ve been seeking reality, the facts, or the Truth come forward.
Or maybe I should say, where you’ve been seeking, the conjunction brings clarity and perspective–or obscures the unbendable facts–and also threatens to overblow the impacts, making us think the idea, the belief, or the deception much more vast, insurmountable, confusing, or inspired than it really is. A few points of interest: occurring in Pisces makes it all the more difficult to sort out meaning and effects in the moment; be prepared to withhold judgment until the fog clears (i.e., until we’re some distance past the event in both time and space–and by space I mean, in dealing with the House areas affected); the conjunction semi-sextiles Saturn and Eris, occupying their midpoint, while sextiling the North Node point and trining the South, with NN/ Jupiter-Neptune acting as base to a Finger of God, apex Earth in Libra=this points to material results, ones that affect our surroundings, assets, or partnerships, with effects possibly springing from the conflicts already inherent in current realities, and these are directly flowing from the past and shaping the future. Jupiter-Neptune also noviles Vesta in Aquarius on one side and Mercury in Taurus on the other=what we think we honor will be put to the test; it’s a ‘put your money where your mouth is’ situation, in some sense. Leave room to be surprised by how you really feel, but don’t be surprised (or thrown) by what it stirs up in others, including the tendency to blame or project their own upset onto you (thanks, Eris).
The result of all related circumstances may be inspiration or beliefs acted upon, accepted, or instituted before we fully understand them, and circumstances of responsibility, blame, or dedication coming to the fore. These energies are also slated to shape the life direction, and so our future–so awareness of the possibilities in how our choices could play out will be paramount to dealing with things successfully.
The New Moon in Aries falls at 11:24 PM PDT on the 31st, at 11 Aries 30, both Sun and Moon poised to conjoin Chiron in just hours, Mercury trailing and in less than a day slated to form Superior Conjunction (the meeting that occurs with the Sun when Mercury is direct–with Mercury gliding over Chiron to meet the Sun just as the Moon goes Void in Aries–with all of it suggesting the beautiful orchestration of the celestial bodies, and so implying meaning because their movement is so balletic–the Superior Conjunction in Aries bringing a fresh take on how we think about ourselves and our actions/ choices–but I digress). The ‘I Am’ is front and center, and we are particularly aware of either our wounds, or our Chirotic talents–and either way, we want everyone to know about them–there’s a kind of urgency, even a sense of purpose informed by the Higher Mind, behind getting our words out (semi-sextile of Uranus).
We may mistakenly think that what we’re communicating about is relationship material, giving our viewpoint, about the hurt caused by the Other (Venus semi-square NM), but we’re really talking about the repercussions of our own actions and choices, their costs and benefits, and slo-mo vetting what we want to do about them (Aries). It’s a way of using talk/ exposition/ thought/ conceptualization/ expression as a kind of mirror in which we can view, review, and gain perspective on wounded aspects of the mind, and the conclusions we’ve already drawn (which are reflected in our actions and choices), but that we’re not entirely consciously aware of, yet.
The New Moon is at the rough midpoint of the Vesta-Ceres trine, with Uranus at the Ceres-New Moon midpoint, promising revelation about how genuinely effective we are, power-wise, and how honoring our own values and principles limits or expands our personal empowerment. For those so susceptible, this may also warn of sudden reactions to environmental factors, especially in the home, in the vein of allergies, asthma, food reactions, accidents, and even power struggles, especially when symbolic (as in, asserted through demands or practices that will provoke)–and these, too, will carry messages, specifically about what may be intruding on our well-being.
New Moon energy is inception energy; things begin here, are seeded (with or without our knowledge), but even more often the Lunar event brings a dawning, a realization that feels a bit like an awakening. Emotional revelation is a predictable potential at this time each month, and we should tune our perceptions to that possibility at New Moon time. Here we see that expressed through Ceres sextile Moon-Sun-Chiron as base to a Finger of God with, of all things, Hygeia as apex. What dawns on us now is about our health or is vital to it, derived from some confluence of identity, power expression, Soul intent, emotional and intuitive perception, and hurt and/or talent (of the Chirotic gift variety).
The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Triangularly Shaped Flight Of Wild Geese’. This prompted me to go looking for a Grand Trine that might add to the New Moon picture, but what I found just reiterated what’s already clear in the aspects: Vesta-Earth-Ceres in an Air Grand Trine that simply states the need to find balance (especially mental balance) in what we honor, our material needs and purpose (the environmental factors we require in order to realize our Soul–Sun–purpose), and effective expression of personal power–in real-world terms, being in command of our world and all that resides in it. Too, we may see something wild (or that just feels wild) take some orderly and balanced shape, allowing the concept to ‘take flight’, and so begin a journey toward success.
A few other things to note: the Nodal axis across Taurus-Scorpio creates a tight T-square with the conjunction of Saturn and Juno=our intended life direction gets a real-world reality check, as does our ability to feel empowered in our own lives; and if you have a natal placement 27 Leo to 00 Virgo, that energy is part of the base of a Finger with the current Black Moon Lilith point, apex Pluto=much depends on what natal energy is affected, but generally speaking, what’s hidden or denied is revealed, purged, destroyed, or transformed. Look to the function of the energy (for instance, if it’s Mars, we look to the Will, the sex drive, the aggressive or assertive nature, or the need to take action), as well as looking at the subjects of the House Mars rules (with Aries in, or on the cusp) for areas where this change might show.
‘Still Life with Cake, Lemon, Strawberries, and Glass’ By John F. Peto 1890 {{PD}}
Configurations are the focus with this Full Moon, and for once I won’t bury the lead: the Lunar culmination brings a shocking punch via a Fist of God, and an Earth Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna; all this makes the wide opposition to Neptune, and the square to the Black Moon Lilith point, seem like a cake walk. (Have you ever actually participated in a cake walk? I thought it was a phrase meaning, no more difficult than eating a piece of cake–while walking?–but then was at a fair years ago, where there was an actual cake walk–and I won a cake! And then shared it with all my friends, right there at the fair, eating with our hands–only when you’re a teenager, right?)
The Full Moon perfects at 11:18 PM PST on the 17th at 27 Virgo 40–though perhaps surprisingly, not yet Void as it pulls away from Earth/ opposition to the Sun, as at culmination it will already be forming a Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna, which are 30 and 38 minutes ahead, respectively. This suggests a balanced state of energies–but have we considered that this doesn’t necessarily mean peaceful? Balance can mean forces that are equally matched, like the pressure each leg of a tripod applies to the others–and that’s the case here. We see the Moon-Earth in Virgo (emotions, particularly critical ones, around practicality, accountability, and results), Pluto in Capricorn (expressions of power, destruction, transformation, or change around established systems, organizations, rules, authorities, and structures, figurative or literal), and Sedna in Taurus (instinctive knowledge of material matters, what we ‘know but don’t know’, ‘blind spot’ material, especially around what is or isn’t a necessity) exerting equal ‘push’–and this may either confer a sense of stagnation, that things will never change, or find us having to choose–which things will I support, which things allow, which things try to stop? The presence of Sedna suggests, no matter the effort we expend, our judgment may be off, skewed by a POV that omits certain facts (‘blind spot’ material). That means we may be making decisions that affect our world in big ways, in physical and organizational ways, and that we may be recognizing or refusing to recognize particular authorities (including ourselves, in our own lives), based on an incomplete or distorted picture.
Then we have the Fist of God (or Thor’s Hammer), with the Full Moon apex sesquiquadrate each side of a square between Venus in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus. The punch comes from conflict between forward-thinking elements in relationships or finances, and inclinations toward keeping things the same by undermining updates, so to speak, through inciting chaos, rebellion (individually or in a group), or by refusing to present a reliable ‘face’, especially in matters of security or material need (that is, by being unreliable ourselves). This conflict creates emotional turmoil, via the actual impact on the material world (Virgo), especially in the distribution of rewards or goods (the ‘Harvest’ and accountability functions of Virgo).
Is the more forward-looking attitude ‘right’, or is it smarter to undermine what’s being labeled ‘progress’? I suppose that depends on your viewpoint; my thought is that if you balk at reforming, improving, modernizing, bringing the individual into line with group efforts, or at applying Higher Mind awareness to interactions or assets, then you need to be very clear why. Disruption and rebellion can serve a Higher Good–but too often we use these when we simply don’t want things to change, or won’t accept reality. So, an honest assessment of our own motives is in order, along with a careful examination of real-world circumstances. If there’s one thing that’s clear in the light of this Moon, it’s that real-world matters (the prominence of Earth signs) will be on the table at this time, in need of sorting and subject to our judgment of which matters are worth supporting/ pursuing.
The Virgo Full Moon’s opposition to Neptune and square to Black Moon Lilith forms a T-square that suggests the way to see clear of our illusions, to meet the creative impetus inherent in reality/ the Truth, is to be willing to face head-on those things that we or others/ the system have been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us but which we’ve not acted upon. In its own way, this says the solution to the emotional tensions culminating at this Moon depend for resolution solely on our own ability to see reality, and our part in it, fully and completely, for what they really are.
The Sabian needs no explanation, I think: ‘A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power’. The sense of this image that can apply to every one of our lives is this: the simple reason someone seizes power is because they don’t want anyone else to have any. It’s in the word ‘seize’, which tells us quite clearly it’s been grabbed, not handed over willingly. Look for the entity doing that, be totally honest with yourself about your own concerns and motives, and you’ll know exactly how to handle the days ahead.
We always look at the Sun for a Full Moon as well; its Sabian is, ‘A Fertile Garden Under The Full Moon Reveals A Variety Of Full-Grown Vegetables’. This tells us that something we ‘planted’ long ago, has, probably without our attention, reached maturity. Time for the harvest!
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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